Korean J Gastroenterol.  2011 Jan;57(1):42-46. 10.4166/kjg.2011.57.1.42.

A Case of Liver Abscess Caused by Fusobacterium nucleatum in a Patient with Recurrent Periodontal Diseases

• Kim YH
• Yoon HJ
• Park CW
• Kim JH
• Lee MK
• Kim KB
• Na DJ
• Kim JM

• KMID: 991468
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2011.57.1.42

Abstract

Fusobacteria are anaerobic gram-negative, non-spore forming bacilli found in normal flora of the oral cavity, urogenital tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Fusobacterium nucleatum has been seldom reported as a cause of liver abscess, particularly in immunocompetent hosts. A 55-year-old man with frequent periodontal disease visited our hospital with intermittent fever and headache for 2 months. Abdominal CT scan revealed an 8.2x6 cm mass in the right hepatic lobe with central low density. Abscess culture revealed F. nucleatum as the causative organism. Percutaneous abscess drainage and intravenous administration of antibiotics for 4 weeks improved symptoms and decreased the abscess size. We report a rare case of liver abscess due to F. nucleatum in an immunocompetent man with periodontal disease.

Keyword

Liver abscess; Fusobacterium nucleatum; Periodontal diseases

MeSH Terms

Ampicillin/therapeutic use
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
Fusobacterium Infections/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy
Fusobacterium nucleatum/*isolation & purification
Humans
Injections, Intravenous
Liver Abscess/*diagnosis/etiology/microbiology
Male
Middle Aged
Periodontal Diseases/*diagnosis
Sulbactam/therapeutic use

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Abdominal CT scan showed a 8.2×6 cm mass with central low density in the right hepatic lobe.

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  Fig. 2. Microscopic findings showed Fusobacterium nucleatum, long and slender gram negative bacilli (Gram stain, ×1,000).

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  Fig. 3. Follow-up abdominal CT scan showed a decreased size of liver abscess (2.8×2.5 cm) in the segment 7 and 8 of the right lobe 2 weeks later after discharge.

Reference

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